Machine for handling thread



March 1946- P. w. SEINFLEBEN 2,396,754

' MACHINE FOR HANDLING T-HREAD I Original Filed Jupa 11, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 m m z 2 k m N F W w .w W 6 w 2 w n w a m M e m w I mm 0 w 0 IL n lvlufi 6 I w m. 6 M nnfl l w nn ln w a M w u k a 4 4 e m 3 J. 1 as L Mw MM 3 & mm my Z O w 1 A P. w. SENFLE BE N MACHINE FOR HANDLING THREAD March 19, 1946.

\ Original Filed June 11 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 19,, 1946. p w SENFLEBEN 2,396,754

' MACHINE FOR HANDLING THREAD Original Filed June 11, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v .1 mas-$2.: fingentor I r E I I" I l March 19, 1946.

P. w, SENFLEBEN momma FOR HANDLING THREAD' r 5 Sheets-Sheet 4' Original Filed June 11:, 1940 Mal-ch19, 1946. P. w. SENFLEBEN MACHINE FOR HANDLING THREAD Original Filed June 11, 1940 5 Sheets- Sheet 5 'IIIIIIII II ll III II II lIII/llfl llll I.

Inventor Paul WSenHeIJe-n,

Aiiomey U we.

Patented Mar. 19, 1946 FFI'CE.

MACHINE FOR HANDLING THREAD Paul W. Senfleben, Malden,,lllass.,. assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application June 11, -1940,-Serial 'No. 339,903. Divided and this application December 30, 1942, Serial No. 470,586. 7

17 Claims. (01; oi -+14) The present invention relates to thread handling apparatus and machines employed for winding sewing machine bobbins or other thread packages, primarily of that type in which thread impregnated with hot wax is'wound, and more particularly to improvements in thread waxing devices, as Well as in arrangements of thread cutters useful with bobbin winding or other machines. In its present embodiment, the invention is illustrated in connection with a winding machine disclosed in inventors application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 339,903, filed June 11, 1940, on which Patent No. 2,343,935, issued Marchl4, 1944, and of which the present application is a division.

The objects of the present invention are to provide novel and convenient means for control ling and terminating the operations of a waxed thread bobbin winding machine either at the completion of the operations or upon interruption of the supply from any cause, to provide improved means for applying heated or otherwise liquefied wax to sewing thread and to provide a machine in which any one of a number of different threads may be wound without the necessity of complicated and difiicult manipulations and adjustments on the part of the operator in threading the machine.

The machine in which the present invention is embodied comprises a rotating spindle for supporting bobbins to be wound, a thread waxing device and a thread cutter, acting along the lead of the thread between the waxing device and a bobbin being wound to sever the thread when excessive tension occurs so that thread breakage at a location along the thread such aswill require the waxing device to be rethreaded will be avoided. While the invention is illustrated as being incorporated in a winding machine employing flanged bobbins in its fundamental concept, this feature is of advantage when used in any type of waxed-thread package forming machine such as a machine for winding thread cops which are self-sustaining without the use of special supporting means. The use of a thread cutter for severing the thread upon the occurrence of excessive tension in the machine illustrated provides a convenient means for terminating the winding operation upon interruption of the supply and in connection with this feature, the cutter is actuated also to sever the thread after all the bobbins or other thread packages are filled with thread under normal tension so that no further withdrawal from the supply will occur even though-the bobbin supporting spindle continuesto rotate. I

. These and other features of the invention relating to a novel and improved form of thread waxing device, to novel and improved stripping devices for-removing excess wax from the thread after passing through the waxing device, and to certain other constructions, combinations and arrangements of. parts will beclearly understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which z Fig. l is a View in right side elevation of a portion, with some of the par-ts broken away and in section, of the winding head of a multiple bobbin winding machine embodying the several features ofthe present invention and illustratingthe parts in positions assumed during a winding operation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the more important parts of themachine of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, with some of the parts broken away, illustrating the condition of the machine after a winding operation has been completed and the wound bobbins removed; 7

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a portion of a wax pot employed in the winding machine of Figs. 1 and-2 including a series of interchangeable wax strippers.

Fig. 4 is a view in partial section of the wax pot illustrating a heating element and thread guides therein;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the wax strippersitaken along the line V-V of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of the wax strippers;

Fig. 7 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a modified form of stripper construction which may be substituted for that illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive;

Fig.8 is a sectional view of the form of stripper illustrated in Fig. 7 taken along the line VIII- VIII;

Fig. 9 is a view, in side elevation of the form of stripper illustrated in'Fig. '7;

' .Fig.ll0 is 'a detail plan View of a part of the modified form of stripper; and

Fig.'11 is a viewin front elevation of the winding head of the machine with the parts surrounding the winding spindle shown insection.

The winding machine herein illustrated and 'more fully disclosed in inventors application at the upper end of a base column 6. The spindle I 2 is mounted to move lengthwise of its bearing, as well as to be rotated, and is guided at one end in a suitable hollow drive shaft (not shown) rotatably mounted in bearings in the machine frame. with a motor 8. A series of bobbins indicated at 9 is secured to the spindle by means of a headed mandrel l (Fig. l) passing through the bobbins and into a central bore l2 in the spindle '2. The mandrel is locked to the spindle when inserted in the bore l2 so that the bobbins are rotated with the spindle after the machine is started.

With a series of .empty bobbins 9 secured to the spindle, preparation is made for a winding operation by moving the spindle with the bobbins lengthwise of the spindle until the first bobbin of the series is in the same plane radially of the spindle and mandrel with the thread contacting end of a thread controller l4 comprising a lever [Shaving an elongated hub loosely mounted on a shaft l8 secured to the frame 4 in parallel relation to andbelow the winding spindle 2. To start the winding operation, the leading end of thread is applied to the first bobbin on the spindle. The circuit of the motor is then completed by operating a handle lever 20 on a motor control switch 22. As the first bobbin on the spindle begins to fill, the thread lifts the thread controller [4 until thedesired depth of thread is wound. Thereafter, the thread controller is lifted away from the thread and from between the flanges of the bobbin and the series of bobbins is moved" relatively to the thread controller until the second bobbin Of the series comesinto alignment with the thread contacting end of the controller. 'Ihe thread contacting end of the controller is then brought between the flanges of the second bobbin and the thread, having been led meanwhile into the second bobbin, actuates the controller a second time. These movements are repeated until all the bobbins on the spindle are wound with thread.

To sever the thread at both sides of each bobbin after the first, when the thread is engaged with the second bobbin of the series, a knife 24 adjustably secured to the controller [4 moves successively between the adjacent flanges of the first and second bobbin of the series and severs the thread crossing the fianges between the two bobbins, the mechanism for moving the bobbins and thread controller being arranged to cause several turns of thread to be wound on the second bobbin before the thread controller and knife 24 move to operative positions. The knife 24 acts in a similar manner between successive bobbins as the winding operation progresses. After all the bobbins are wound with thread, the thread leading to the last filled bobbin is severed and the motor control switch operated to disconnect the motor circuit.

To lift the thread contacting end of the thread controller clear of the flanges on the bobbin and to move the bobbins and spindle lengthwise of the spindle relatively to the thread controller, the spindle is connected to a ratchet bar 26 slidingly mounted in the frame l beneath the spindle and arranged to be shifted yieldingly with the spindle. To shift the ratchet bar and spindle, a weighted chain 28 is connected to the two 'in a manner more fully brought out in the application referred to. When the thread controller is lifted clear of the bobbin flanges and the ratchet bar released, the weighted chain moves the bobbins on the spindle the distance between adjacent bobbins preparatory to a new winding operation.

The ratchet bar is formed with a pair of rows of notches cut into opposite sides of the bar.

One row consists of holding notches 3B and the The drive shaft is connected for rotation other of stop notches 32 arranged to cooperate with a pawl 35 and a detent 36 carried by an escapement arm on the controller lever it. The pawl 34 is secured rigidly to the escapement arm of the controller but the detent 36 is pivoted to swing towards and from the pawl about a stud 38. To hold the detent against the ratchet bar, a spring 40 is connected between the detent and the pawl, the detent having a pin 42 which passes through a slot M in the escapement arm to limit the movement of the detent.

The operation of the escapement arm on the ratchet bar consists in causing the detent to be engaged yieldingly with a stop notch in the bar when the pawl is withdrawn and the detent to be forced out of the stop notch when the pawl enters a holding notchin the bar. Thus when the pawl leaves a holding notch, the bar is re leased and the weight moves the bar and bobbin spindle a distance equal to that between successive bobbins when the detent engages a stop notch 32. At this time, the pawl is in alignment with a 40 holding notch 39 and the controller arm is free to swing with the escapement arm until the pawl enters the holding notch with which it is aligned. When the pawl enters a holding notch, the detent is disengaged from the ratchet bar by a set screw 46 in the pawl 35 and the relations between the pawl and detent and the notches on the ratchet-bar are such that the ratchet bar moves slightly after the detent is disengaged before beingstopped by the pawl to prevent the detent from again entering the same notch in the ratchet bar upon release of the ratchet bar by the pawl after a bobbin is filled with thread. The ratchet bar and spindle therefore are moved substantially the full distance between successive bobbins before being stopped by the detent.

To lift the thread controller clear of the flanges on the bobbins before each bobbin is completely filled with thread, there is formed a cam surface 48 at the rear of each holding notch 38. These cam surfaces are so shaped that when the pawl is forced part-way out of a holding notch by the thread ona bobbin and the pawl reaches the edge of a cam surface, the yielding force of the weighted chain on the ratchet bar will cause the pawl to be carried up over the cam surface, lifting the thread controller from between the flanges of the bobbin being Wound. The thread controller is held in this position until a new holding notch comes into alignment with the pawl. This occurs, as previously explained, when the shoulder on a stop notch 32 engages the detent 36. The mechanism, thus briefly referred to. for actuating the thread controller is the same asin 'inventors prior application above'identl fled, to which reference may be had for a more complete disclosure. x

Before the winding operation is started, it is necessary to draw the end of thread through suitable guides and to introduce the thread to a wax pot heated to apply a coating of molten wax to the thread and thence towards the winding spindle. The introduction of thread to a heated wax pot is often a difiicult operation on account of the relatively high temperatures to which the thread engaging parts must be raised to enable he various thread pass ges to be cleared of surplus hardened wax. Also, by reason of the plastic or molten condition of the wax when heated, it frequently adheres to the operator's hands. Aside from the uncomfortable and injurious heat of the wax thus adhering to the operator's hands, the tackiness of the wax prevents the thread from being grasped properly or released when desired during threading operations which are usually of intricate nature. As a result, the practical problems of threading the machine and particularly of introducing thread to the wax'pot are troublesome from the respect of expenditure of both time and patience on the part of the operator. Not only is it necessary for the operator to introduce the thread to the wax pot as an initial step in the preparation of the machine for operation, but whenever in the normal operation of the machine the thread is entirely withdrawn from the wax pot, rethreading is required. Such withdrawal of thread from a wax pot occurs in prio machines as a result of thread breakage or exhaustion of the supply.

In order to avoid the necessity of rethreading the wax pot each time the thread supply is exhausted or the thread becomes broken, according to an important; feature of the present invention, the illustrated machine is provided with a cutter acting along the lead of the thread between the wax pot and the winding spindle whenever the supply of thread is exhausted or undue tension exists in the thread, as a result of such obstruction to the passage of thread as would cause breakage, to cause the thread to be instantaneously severed. Continuing rotation of the winding spindle after severing the thread causes the severed end to be drawn onto the bobbin and the supply end of thread extending from the wax pot to come to rest. Thus the tension on the thread is relieved with a length'oi thread surrounding the guides within the wax pot; Under such conditions, re-threading of the wax pot is not required, the end of thread on a new supply being tied to the length within the wax pot and drawn through manually without the necessity of re-introducing the thread to the guides within the pot. In case of obstruction of thread due to an enlargement in thread diameter, commonly called a slub, or jamming within the guides from other causes, the thread ordinarily can be freed by a jerk at the point Where it leaves the pot or by cutting out the section of thread having the enlarged diameter or slub. As a matter of further convenience in the present machine, the thread cutter is actuated after each series of bobbins is wound and before the winding spindle comes to rest to terminate the winding operation. Thereafter, the circuit of the motor is automatically broken at the switch 22 and the spindle comes to a stop to enable thewound bobbins to be replaced with empty ones. 1

To sever the thread when undue tension exists or after the winding operation on the last b i Series qm edlih t r a 9 3. issprlng actuated across the thread. The thread cutter comprises a sharp-edged plate or knife 50 having a rib secured in' agroove at the free end of an arm on a cutter lever 52 rotating loosely on the end of shaft I8. A spring for actuating the cutter is indicated at 54 coiled around a hub ofthe cutter lever with one end hooked around the cutter lever and the other end held in an opening of a lug on a collar 56 on the shaft I 8. To hold the cutter in inoperative position during winding operations, the cutter plate 50 is formed with a shoulder arranged to be engaged by a flat sided pin 58 secured in a latch arm of a cutter retaining lever Bil pivoted on a pin 62 secured, in the control arm of lever IS. The lever 60 has a downwardly extending arm connected at its lower end with a spring 64 fastened to the controller arm. The spring 64 acts to swing the retaining lever 60 in a direction to latch the pin 58 behind the shoulder of the cutter plate 50. When in latching position, the lever is held by the spring 64 against a pin 66 in the controller arm of lever Hi. When the retaining lever 60 is moved in the other direction, the cutter is released and severs the thread against an anvil rod 68 projecting from the main frame 4. The anvil rod 68 is sharpened somewhat along one edge to act with the cutter plate in shearing the thread and has a flattened surface to hold the supply end of the severed thread between the cutter arm and the rod. To hold the latch arm of retaining lever 60 depressed with the latch pin 58 below the level of the shoulder on the cutter plate after the cutter is actuated so that the cutter may readily be relatched, a forwardly extending flanged projection on the cutter lever 52 overlies the pin 58, the flange on the projection being substantially concentric with the path of movement of the cutter plate.

To actuate the cutter latch arm of the retaining lever 66 after the last winding operation is completed, the end of the ratchet bar 26 is provided with a spring-pressed pin 10 which, when the final bobbin of a series is moved into winding position, projects into the path of a cam block 72 adjustably secured to the retaining lever 60 As the controller arm is moved outwardly at the end of the final winding operation, the cam block l2 moves against the pin 10 and forces the latch arm f the retaining lever downwardly to release the cutter. The severed end of thread connected with the last filled bobbin is then carried by a continued rotation of the winding spindle about the last filled bobbin, the supply end of thread. remaining clamped between the anvil rod 68 and the projection on the cutter lever without withdrawing thread from the supply. Since the knife 24 severs the thread between successive bobbins and the cutter plate 50 acts between the final bobbin of a series and the wax pot, the thread is severed at both sides of the final bobbin as well as at both sides of each of the other intermediate bobbins when' wound under normal thread tension.

For stopping rotation of the winding spindle after all the bobbins are wound with thread, the cutter lever 52 has a rearwardly extending slotted arm, into the slot of which the bent end of a vertically sliding rod 74 projects. The rod 14 is supported loosely in aligned openings of lugs on the main frame and is normally held in raised position by a compression spring 16 coiled about the rod between the lower lug on the frame and a collar 13 on the rod. Near the upper end of the rod is secured a right angle bar with its .tion, of the usual construction.

ndo'verly'lngthe handle 20 on the motor switch; When the cutter lever 52 is actuated, the slotted arm of the lever forces the rod [4 downwardly against the spring i6 and flips the motor switch to oiT position. At the same time the cutter is operated, the thread controller is lifted still further away from the winding mandrel and held in position free of the flanges on the bobbins.

Thread is supplied to the bobbins from any one of three similar thread supply holders arranged in a row at the rear of the machine and one of which is shown in Fig. l. The thread is contained in three self-sustaining cops f similar construceach having a central fibre support tube 80 The threads are led endwise from the cops and pass through converging slotted guide tubes 82 into parallel relationship (see Fig. 7), downwardly through slotted tubes 84into the electrically heated wax pot and upwardly towards the winding spindle.

In order to keep the threads from the two supplies not being used in readiness for subsequent winding operations, without the necessity of rethreading the wax pot, the upwardly extending ends of the unused threads are secured in supplemental holding means comprising the coils of a. spring 86 secured to the frame of the machine close to the thread cutter 50 so that after any of the threads have been severed, the supply end may be retained temporarily without drawing thread from the supply to which it is connected or allowing any slack or looseness in the thread such as would be likely to become entangled with the thread being used.

.As previously stated, the cutter act to sever the thread at a location between the wax pot and the winding spindle. In order to prevent the threads from becoming broken at any other location, requiring the wax pot to be rethreaded, the cutter is caused to act upon the occurrence'of excessive tension in the thread from any cause. To this end, the threads leaving the tubes 82 and before entering the wax pot pass over three aligned guides or pulleys 88 rotatable on a bolt 90 secured in the free end of the cutter retaining arm of lever 50. To retainthe threads on their respective pulleys, each pulley is surrounded by a split thread retaining cage 92 having contacting lugs between which the threads may be pressed in threading the pulleys. To maintain the lugs of the split cages in contact with each other, a spring washer 94 is supported at one end of the bolt 96 acting in a direction endwise of the bolt to press the cage and pulleys together. When excessive tension occurs in any thread being used, the cutter is actuated by depressing the retaining arm of lever 68, disengaging the latch pin 58 from the cutter plate. The actuation of the cutter by the thread may be caused either by a knot or enlargement becoming caught within the restricted opening of the thread cage 92, by snarling of the thread in the supply or by,exhaustion of.the supply. In th type of supply indicated where a self-sustaining cop wound on a tube 80 is employed, the usual practice is to fasten the final end of thread to thetube. When the supply of thread is exhausted, the end being held by the tube causes excessive tension to be applied and the cutter actuated. To support the supplies of thread, the central tubes Bil of the supplies are mounted on pins 96 fixed at their lower ends in a frame 98 and with their free ends arranged substantially in alignment with the lower ends of the respective thread guide tubes 82. V V g To prevent the tubes 80 from being pulled from the pins $18 when the supplies are exhausted, each pin is grooved along diametrically opposite sides to receive a hairpin spring [00, one end of which is bent at right angles'and is received in a diametrical passage through the base of the pin 96. The hairpin spring engages irictionally with the inside of the tube so as to cause suflicient resistance against withdrawal of the tube by the tension on the thread when th supply is exhausted to-actuate the cutter retaining arm without breaking the thread.

The wax pot ismounted at one. side of the base 8 of the illustrated machine on a bracket 102 having a suitable opening through which the thread passes and a vertical rod- I04 extends downwardly from the bracket to support slidingly a'wax containing receptacle N36. The rod I04 passes loosely through a vertical passage in one side of the wax receptacle which may be secured in raised position; as indicated in the drawings, or lowered by releasing a clamp nut Hi8 to expose the part inside the receptacle for threading or cleaning purposes. The heating element for the wax pot consists of a hollow plate H0 shown in Figs. 1 and 4, having electrical controls contained in a housing l 12 secured by means e f-screws I It to the bracket N12. The lower end of the heating element projects into the wax contained within the receptacle I06. The threads from the three supply devices are led downwardly into the wax receptacle through the parallel slotted tubes 84 and through parallel slot H3 forming heat, radiating fins at opposite sides of a block H5 secured to the heating element I m. At the lower end of the block, the threads pass beneath thread guide pulleys having split retaining cages H6 similar to the pulleys 88 and cages 92 on the cutter retaining lever 58. The stud on whichthe pulleys and cages are mounted is indicated at I ll secured in suitable lugs on the block H5. To guide the threads in the slots of the block H5, there is a transverse passage through the fins formed by the slots at one side of the block and a number of contacting balls H8 are inserted in the passage to prevent movement of the thread into or out of the passage except when the balls are separated. ,To keep the balls together, a leaf spring I I9 is screwed to the block H5 to press on the outermost ball, thus transferring its force to all of the balls in the passage. 7

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, one side of the wax receptacle I06 has a bulging portion extending beyond the supporting bracket (02 to form an 'unmelted wax receiver in which a supply of fresh wax may be introduced from time to time. To accelerate melting the wax introduced into the receiver portion of the wax receptacle, a heat conducting inclined plate R20 is secured with its lower end in the block H5 and with its upper end extending along the lower bulgin wall within the receiver portion of the receptacle. The block H5 is provided with diverging'flanges I22 for conducting melted wax towards the thread guides H5 so that melted wax is quickly rendered available after replenishing the supply.

To remove the excess of wax from the thread as it leaves the wax pot, each of the three threads passes through a stripper of improved construction and operation mounted on an upstandin ear portion of the heating element 1 Ill. The ear of the heating element projects through the thread opening in the wax receptacle bracket I02 and is spaced at allsides from the cover so as tobe out of heat conducting contact with the bracket. On ajflatsurrace formed on theqear of the heating element is secured a plate 124 having a carrier I26 pivoted thereto by a vertical bolt I28 about which the carrier is quickly shiftable to bring any one of the three threads passing through the stripper into alignment radially of the winding spindle and bobbin mandrel with the winding position of the thread controller directly above the wax pot. By mounting the stripper on the plate I24 heated directly by the heating element, the tendency for the wax and thread fibres to accumulate on the stripper is greatly reduced. To hold the carrier I26.in a position with any one of the threads passing through the strippers in alignment with the bobbin winding position of the thread controllerand between the cutter 50 and anvil 68, one arm of the carrier has a vertical spring-pressed plunger I30 engaging at its lower end with any one of three holes I32 in the plate I24. At the upper end of the plunger is a suitable handle for lifting the plunger out of. one hole and bringing it selectively into another. To limit the movement of the stripper carrier I26 on the plate I24, a pin I34 is mounted in the plate I24 to engage a surface on the carrier at either end of its movement about the bolt I28.

There are two forms of wax stripper disclosed herein, the form illustrated in Figs. 3 to6 inclusive beingbest adapted for general use and the form illustrated in Figs. 7 to inclusive being advantageous where more than three difierent sizes or colors of thread are used, and Where as a result, the machine must of necessit frequently be rethreaded. The strippers of Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive are similar in many respects to the stripper disclosed in United States Letters Patent to Ashworth No. 1,996,137 of April 2, 1935. As in that patent, each stripper, according to the present construction. consists of a block I 36 sliding in a groove in the u per surface of the carrier I26 and a block I38 overla pin the sliding block and pivoted on a hin e pin I 40 common to all the strip ers and secured in upstanding lugs on the carrier. The thread engaging ends of the blocks are cut with V-shaoed notches, the o enin s of which face in o posite directions to provide a close fittin passage for the thread. The carr er has suitable perforations I42 through which the threads enter the passages in the strippers. The slidin blocks I35 m y be adjusted relatively to the pivoted block I38 in order to increase or decrease the size of the thread'passa es by regulating screws I 43 threaded in the carrier and each provided with a groove to receive a slotted flan e on each block I36. In the patent. the pivoted block is pressed downwardly against the sliding block bv means of a s ing similar to the spring I44 co led about an. adj sting screw. as indicated at I46, between the hin ed block and a, head on the screw. the arran ement being such that when knots or other enlargements reach the stripper causing excessive resistance to movement of t e thread, the pivoted block will yield and allow the thread to pass without breakage, or injury. In the strinner of the patent, the V-shaned notches in the blocks which form the thread passa e enter from the extreme ends of the blocks. the main body portions of the blocks being located at opposite sides of the thread passage thus formed, The pivoted blocks I38 of the present strippers are located each with its main body portion overlappin a substantial proportion of each sliding block I36 and each sliding block I36, instead of having the .V-notch entering from the extreme end. is hook-shaped and the V-notch opens from inside the hook (see Fig. 6, lower block I36). To prevent accumulation of Wax inside the hook of each sliding block, an L-shaped guard piece I48 is fitted within the hook of each sliding block and is held in place by the side of each guideway in the carrier I26, Each thread drawn through a passage formed by the blocks extends through a perforation I 42 directly beneath the passage in the V-notches of the blocks so that excess wax scraped from the thread by same time sliding or pivotal movement of the respective blocks is not impeded.

In the quick threading form of wax strippers disclosed in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, a carrier I52 of the same general shape as the carrier I26 is provided mounted to'swing about a stud I54 on a plate I56 corresponding to the plate I24. A spring-pressed plunger I58 in the carrier enters any one of three holes I60 and serves to maintain the carrier in any of three positions corresponding to the positions which each of the threads occupy when brought into alignment with the winding position of the thread controller. To limit the swinging movement of carrier I52, a pin I62 secured in the carrier engages edge surfaces of the plate I56. In the form of strippers illustrated in these figures, however, the carrier I52 is formed with three open-ended threading slots I64 and three sockets arranged in step-like relation one at a higher level than the other, for receiving three V-notched stripper disks I66 secured in their. sockets by screws I66. Overlapping each stripper disk I66 is a V-notched sliding block I10 having inclined sides fitting within correspondingly shaped guideways of the carrier I52. To locate the sliding blocks with the notches in alignment with the notches; in

the disks I66, each sliding block has a threaded lug portion through which a thumb adjusting screw I12 passes. Each thumb screw also passes through an upwardly projecting lug on the carrier and between the lug on the carrier and the lug on the block, each screw is surrounded by a compression spring I14 tending to force the sliding block in a direction to close the thread'passage through the notches of the block and disk. In threading this type of stripper, the head of the thumb screw I12 is retracted against the pressure of the spring to uncover the open-ended threading slot I 64, thus permitting passage of thread laterally into the notch of the corresponding disk I66. When the sliding block is released, it again closes the threading slot and retains any thread which is located in the notch of the disk in stripping position. The size of the thread passage may readily be changed by rotating the 1. A' wax thread winding machine having, in combinatiomrotatable means for supporting during formation a wound thread package, a thread supply, a waxing device through which the thread passes from the supply before reaching the supporting means, and a mechanically actuated cutter knife operatively connected to the machine and located along the lead of the thread between the waxing device and the supporting means for severing the thread through relative movement across the thread when excessive tension occurs to prevent thread breakage at a location requiring the waxing device to be rethreaded.

2. A wax thread winding machine having, in combination, rotatable means for supporting during formation a wound thread package, a thread supply, a waxing device through which the thread passes from the supply before reaching the supporting means, a movable thread guide between the supply and waxing device, and amechanically actuated cutter knife operatively" connected to the machine and located along the lead of the thread between the waxing device and the supporting means and controlled by the thread guide when excessive tension occurs to sever the thread through relative movement across the thread.

3. A wax thread Winding machine having, in combination, rotatable means for supporting during formation a wound thread package, a thread supply, a waxing device through which the thread passes from the supply before reaching the supporting means, a cutter located along the lead of the thread between the waxing device and the supporting means for severing the thread when excessive tension occurs to prevent thread breakage at a location requiring the waxing device to be rethreaded, and means for severing the thread at the sides of each thread package.

4. 'A wax thread winding machine having a mandrel for supporting during formation a series of wound thread packages, a thread supply, a waxing device through which the thread passes from the supply to the mandrel, a cutter located along the lead of the thread between the waxing device and the mandrel for severing the thread when excessive tension occurs, and means for causing the cutter to sever the thread after all the thread packages on the mandrel are filled with thread under normal tension.

5. Awax thread winding machine having, in combination, rotatable means for supporting during formation a wound thread package, a thread supply, a waxing device through which the thread passes from the supply before reaching the. supporting means, a thread guide having a restricted opening between the supply and waxing device, and a cutter located along the lead of the thread between the waxing device and the supporting means and controlled by the thread guide to cause the thread to be severed whenever an enlargement in the thread becomes caught within the restricted opening of the thread guide.

6. A wax thread winding machine having, in combination, rotatablemeans for supporting during formation a wound thread package, a thread waxing device, a plurality of thread supply holders, guiding means for directing the thread in parallel relation through the waxing device and towards the package supporting means, a thread cutter and holder acting to sever the thread and to clamp a resulting end of thread leading from the waxing device, and supplemental holding means adjacent the cutter to hold the other ends of thread in readiness for other winding opera tions.

7. A wax thread winding machine having, in combination, a rotatable mandrel for supporting during formation a wound thread package, a

waxing device, a plurality of thread supply holders, a, frame, and individual wax strippers guided on the frame for the threads leading from the waxing device toward the mandrel and interchangeably shiftable to bring any stripper quickly into alignment radially of the mandrel with the winding position of the thread package being Wound.

8. A wax thread winding machine having, in combination, a rotatable mandrel for supporting during formation a wound thread package, a waxing device, a plurality of thread supply holders, a frame, individual wax strippers for the threads leading from the waxing device, and a shiftable. carrier supported by the frame on which the strippers are mounted to bring any of the. threads passing through the strippers quickly into alignment radially of the mandrel with the winding position of the thread package being wound.

' 9. In a machine of the class described, a waxing device having a wax receptacle, quick threading guides in the receptacle for a plurality of separate'threads comprising a block having parallel slots and a transverse passage entering the slots, and separablemembers sliding in the passage to prevent displacement of the threads when the members are brought together.

' 10. A thread waxing device having, in combination, a wax receptacle, thread guiding devices for directing the thread into and out of the wax in the receptacle, and a wax stripper comprising overlapping blocks having oppositely disposed notches forming between them a passage for the thread, means for sliding one of the blocks on the other to increase or decrease the thread passage, a pivotal mounting for causing one of the blocks to separate from the other when excessive resistance is offered to movement of the thread, and tongue and groove means on the blocks for holding the notches in the blocks in accurate alignment.

11. A thread waxing device having, in combination, a wax receptacle, thread guiding devices for directing thread into and out of the wax in the receptacle, and a wax stripper comprising a plate, a notched block slidingly mounted on the plate, a notched block having a grooved hub pivotally mounted on the plate in overlapping relation to the sliding block to form an opening for the passage of thread through the notches in the blocks and arranged to swing away from the sliding block when excessive resistance is. offered to the movement of thread, means for adjusting the position of the sliding block to increase or decrease the thread opening, and a tongue piece on the slid ng block fitting the groove. in the hub of the pivotally mounted block for holding the notches in the blocks in accurate alignment.

12. A thread waxing device having, in combination, awax receptacle, thread guiding devices for directing thread into and out of the wax in the receptacle, and a wax stripper comprising aplate, a notched block slidingly mounted on the plate, a notched block having a grooved hub pivotally mounted on the plate in overlapping relation to the sliding block to form an opening for the passage of thread through the notches in the blocks and arranged to swing away from the sliding block when excessive resistance is offered to the movement of thread, the sliding block bein hooked-shaped with the notch opening inside the hook, and a separable guard piece held between the pivotally mounted block and the plate for fillin the opening inside thehook of the sliding block to prevent wax wiped ofi the thread by the blocks from accumulating in the space within the hook of the sliding block,

13. A thread waxing device having, in combination, a supporting bracket, a receptacle for wax mounted below thebracket, a heater suspended from the bracket with its lower end projecting into the wax receptacle and formed with an upwardly extending ear projecting above the mouth of the receptacle out of heat conducting contact with the bracket, and a wax stripper through which the thread passes secured to the ear.

14. A thread waxing device having, in combination, a wax receptacle, thread guiding means for directing thread into and out of the wax in the receptacle, a carrier, and a Wax stripper on the carrier comprising fixed and sliding overlapping members having oppositely disposed notches forming between them a passage for the thread, yielding means for sliding one of the members on the other to decrease the size of the thread passage, and a quick threading slot in the stripper carrier entering the notch in the fixed member to be uncovered by the sliding member when the sliding member is moved away from the fixed member against the force of the yielding means.

15. A thread waxing device having, in combination, a wax receptacle, a supporting bracket for the receptacle covering the mouth of the receptacle, at least in part, and having a thread 35 opening, a heater suspended from the bracket with its lower end projecting into the wax receptacle and formed with an upwardly extending ear projecting through the thread opening in the bracket, out of heat conducting contact with the bracket, and a wax stripper secured to the car outside the receptacle.

16. A thread waxing device having, in combination, a supporting bracket, a receptacle for wax mounted below the bracket with a portion of its upper edge extending beyond the bracket to form an unmelted fresh wax receiver, guides for directing thread into and out of the wax receptacle, a heating element suspended. from the bracket with its lower end projecting into the wax receptacle, and a heat conducting plate extending from the heating element within the wax receiver portion of the receptacle to accelerate melting of fresh wax inserted into the receiver.

17. A thread waxing device having, in combination, a supporting bracket, a receptacle for wax mounted below the bracket with a portion of its upper edge extending beyond the bracket to form an unmelted fresh Wax receiver, guides for directing thread into and out of the wax receptacle, a heating element suspended from the bracket with its lower end projecting into the wax receptacle, a, heat conducting block on the heater, thread guides on the block, a heat conducting plate extending from the block into the wax receiver portion of the receptacle to accelerate melting of fresh wax inserted into the receiver, and means on the block for directing melted wax from the heat conducting plate towards the thread guides.

- PAUL W. SENFLEBEN. 

